Pneumatic-tube switch.



E. W. WALLACE. PNEUMATIC TUBE SWITCH. APPLIOATION FILED snrw. 26, mos.

Patented Sept. 7, 1909.

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Patented Sept. 7, 1909.

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Patented Sept. 7, 1909.

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EDWARD w. WALLACE, or niirnorr, MICHIGAN.

PNEUMATIC-TUBE swrrcH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 7, 1909,

Application filed September 25, .1908. Serial No. 454,792.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ED\VARD W. VVALLACE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic-Tube Switches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to pneumatic tube systems, and comprises especially an improved switch which is operated by the carrier to deliver the same at the proper or se lected station. 7 i

In systems heretofore in use there is usually an individual tube for every station from the main office to the station, and also an individual tube from the station to the main oiiice, so that there are two tubes for eachstation. This requires a large amount of tubing.

The object of my invention is to provide improved means for obtaining the same serv; ice with two pairs of tubes, that is, one sending and one returning tube. This will decrease the amountof tubing used to get the same or better service, and it'will cost less, both to install and to operate. This result is accomplished by means of a selectiveswitch which will be operated only by-the carrier belonging to'the station at which the switch is located.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of-the system provided with the invention, Fig. '2 is a side elevation with the tube and casing in section, showing one of the carriers about to operate the switch; Fig. 3 is a similar view showing a dilierent carrier passing the switch; Fig. i is a plan view with the cap or casing removed. Figs. 5 and 6 are details in perspective showing parts in different positions.

Referring specifically to Fig. 1, 6 indicates the sending tube and 7 the returning tube, the former being provided with switches '8 and the latter with intakes 9. The necessary suction of air is provided by any suitable means connected to the returning tube 7.

The switch is shown particularly in Figs. 2 and 3, the tube 6 having the Y or'switch tube 8 leading from the side thereof, the end of the latter being closed by a leather flap 10 except when a carrier is discharged. A casing 11 incloses the working parts to be hereinafter described, for the purpose of making the systemas airtight as possible.

A trigger 12 projectsthrough a slot 13 in the top of the tube, a short distance in advance of the i, the trigger being pivoted at 1a to ears .15, standing beside the slot. The upper end of the trigger has a finger 16 adapted to engage the hook 17 at the end of a rod 18 connected by a universal joint 19 to an arm 20'projecting fromia switch post 21, said switch post. being set in the tube at the partition between the main tube and the switch tube. The switch-point'22 is riveted or otherwise firmly secured to the post 21, consisting of a fiat steel blade or point constructed .to swing from one side of the tube to the other as the post is turned. A. spring 23 coiled around the upper part of the post holds the switch in normally closed position. The connecting rod is supported and guided in a rocker 24, pivotally mounted at 2'5 on the top of the tube. The rocker has arms on opposite sides of the rod, which are slotted as at 26 to receive a pin 27 projecting through the rod. The slots are closed at both ends, and are suiiiciently long to allow the play incident to the movement of the connecting rod. A spring 28, connected to the pin 27 normally holds the connecting rod down with the hook '17 at the end there of'behind the finger 16.

It is obvious that with-the above parts, a carrier passing through the tube 6 will strike the trigger 12 and swing the same, thereby throwing the switch open in consequence of the movement of the connecting rod which is pulled by the finger 16 as the trigger is swung. And in these circumstances the carrier will take the switch and be ejected.

For the purpose of preventing the operation of the switch, except by the proper carrier, means are provided to disengage the hook 17 from the finger 16. These means comprise a release lever 30 pivoted at 31 to a bracket on thetube and having an inclined head or strikepiece 32 which projects through a slot in the top of "the. tube, in advance of the trigger 12. Above or outside the tube the lever is provided with an arm 33 which projects up under the end of the hook 17. The carriers 34 are provided at their ends withstuds 35 which vary in size, that is, in diameter, and the one having the largest stud being adapted for the first station, the next for the second station, and so on. The length of the several triggers 12 and proceed along the line.

is also varied accordingly, the shortest trigger being at Number 1 station, and so on. The studs 35 projectsufliciently in front of the body of the carrier so that they will, if of proper size, strike the trigger and throw the switch before the body of the carrier strikes the incline 32 of the release lever 30, said lever, it may be remarked, being normally depressed by a spring 40 at the heel thereof. If, however, the stud passes below the trigger, without striking the same, as shown in Fig. 8, the carrier will strike the release lever 30 and lift the same, thereby lifting the hook 17 above the finger 16, and when the carrier strikes the trigger 12 said trigger will swing, but being disengaged from the hook 17 will not open the switch, and hence the carrier will pass the switch By proper variation of the sizes of the studs on the carriers and the triggers a large number of stations may be served with only one line of tubing. When the trigger is struck by the stud and the switch operated as above described, the hook 17 is pulled out of alinement with the arm 83, and consequently when said arm is lifted it misses the hook and therefore does not disengage the hook from the finger 16. Afterthe passage of a carrier the trigger is returned by a spring 41 connected to the upper end thereof and to a post 42 on the tube.

Variations may be made in the several parts within the scope of the invention, and no limitation is implied by reason of the particular structure shown.

I claim:

1. In a pneumatic carrier system, the combination with main and switch tubes, of a switch-point, a trigger projecting into the maintube and connected to the switch-point for operating the same, a release lever proj ecting into the main tube in advance of the trigger and constructed to selectively disconnect the trigger and the switch-point, said trigger and lever being actuated by the passage of a carrier in the tube, and carriers having selective studs projecting at the end thereof, the studs of various carriers being of'difierent diameters whereby the studs will hit or miss the trigger.

2. In a pneumatic carrier system the combination with main and switch tubes, of a switch-point, a pivoted trigger projecting at its inner end through the wall of the main tube in advance of the switch-point, a longitudinally-movable rod pivotally connected at one end to the switch-point and having a projection at the other end engageable by the outer end of the trigger, and means projecting into the main tube in advance of the trigger to swing said rod on its pivot so that the projection will not be engaged by the trigger, said means being selectively operated by carriers passing in the tube.

' 3. In a pneumatic carrier system, the combination with main and switch tubes, of a switclrpoint, a trigger projecting into the main tube and connected to the switch-point for operating the same, means projecting into the main tube in advance of the trigger to disconnect the trigger and switch-point, said trigger and means being selectively actuated by carriers passing in the tube, and carriers having selective studs of different diameters projecting at the front ends thereof whereby the studs will hit or miss the trigger.

t. In a pneumatic carrier system, the combination with main and switch tubes, of a switch-point, a pivoted trigger projecting through the side of the main tube, a rod connected to the switch-point and engageable by the outer end of the trigger to open the switch, and a release lever having an inclined strike-piece projecting into the tube in advance of the trigger, and also having an arm projecting toward the rod and arranged to strike and move the same beyond the outer end of the trigger when actuated at a time prior to the actuation of the trigger, said lever and trigger being selectively actuated by carriers passing in the tube.

5. In a pneumatic carrier system, the combination with main and switch tubes, switchpoints, triggers projecting into the main tube in advance of the switches and connected to the switch-points, release devices projecting into the main-tube in advance of the triggers and constructed to disconnect the same from the switch-points, and carriers in the tube, having projecting studs of different diameters, constructed to selectively hit a trigger and open the switch prior to the body of the carrier striking the associated release device.

In testimony whereof, I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD W. \VALLAOE.

Witnesses ELIZABETH J. PRICE, SOPHIE C. GATZKE. 

